The Encyclopedia of Murder and Mystery

An indispensable and lively guide to the world of mystery writing

The Encyclopedia of Murder and Mystery is an A-Z of whodunit and how it was done. From Edward Sidney Aarons to "Zorak, " Bruce Murphy moves beyond the names and characters every mystery fan knows by heart (Raymond Chandler, Dorothy L. Sayers, Dashiell Hammett, etc.) to talk about newer writers like Patricia Cornwell, and authors not traditionally considered mystery writers, like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Paul Auster. Murphy catalogues methods, weapons, poisons, subgenres, famous devices (like the locked room), movie adaptations, and great series characters like the Continental Op, Hercule Poirot, and Dr. Kay Scarpetta. The encyclopedia is a colorful and comprehensive map of the mystery genre that every mystery lover will want.